Positional differences in size, morphology, and in vitro performance of pea axillary buds

Abstract
Numbers of buds within a leaf axil and of leaf primordia within a bud varied with node of insertion, both in intact pea (Pisum sativum) seedlings and in cultured axillary shoots. Normally one or more nodes bore no visible buds. At the higher nodes naked buds and aberrant forms were observed. Shoots dissected from the embryo bore five or six leaf primordia and buds were present at the cotyledonary node and at three nodes immediately above. Benzylaminopurine in the nutrient medium promoted vegetative growth of cultured shoots. The height and extent of proliferation of cultured shoots varied both with the parental node from which explants were derived and with benzylaminopurine concentration. Results are discussed in relation to correlative inhibition.